Chapter 16: Price For Two

She collapsed when they reached the river.

Silently, she crumpled, her face tightening with some sort of inner pain. He felt, rather than heard, her fall and was by her side in a second.

"What's wrong?" he asked, searching for some injury.

But she only shook her head and said, hoarsely and with despair, "I… I can't cross…."

Something on his face sunk, only for a second. But Sakura saw and realized how devastating her words were to him. She wanted to turn away and weep. She had hurt him, this kind boy that was trying to rescue her…

Sasuke tried to remain unaffected, even as he sensed the fear growing within. Surely, there was some way. He had come so far. He would not give up. Naruto would not give up. "Why not?" he demanded after a moment, "We'll just swim."

He swallowed hard as he said it, remembering his last experience in the deep. Nevertheless, he remained steadfast in his determination. One way or another, he was going to fulfill his unspoken promise to Naruto and Kakashi. Even if it meant facing his own sins and confronting the darkness in his soul, he would do it. He would do anything.

He almost smiled at his own thoughts. He was becoming more and more like Naruto in some ways and though he would never admit it, it was strangely reassuring.

"S-swim?" Her eyes fixed on the dark waters before them and became clouded with anguish. She shook her head again, bowing so that her pink hair hid her hopelessness, "I can't… go in there…"

No, no, she couldn't say such things now. Time… time was running out. A sort of urgency took hold and he pulled her up, harshly, "Don't say that. You don't know anything. We have to go back. You can't stay here."

"I can't leave!" she resisted, her insistence just as forceful as his. Something within her flamed and she said, a Naruto-like stubbornness in her eyes making her seem like a whole different person, "Sasuke no baka! It feels wrong! If I go in there, I'll sink!" Her voice rose almost hysterically pitch, "I know I'll sink! I know it!"

"But I won't let you sink!" The words burst from him involuntarily as if he were seized by desperation. His hands were suddenly on her shoulders and there was a fierce emotion in those dark, burning eyes, "I won't lose you again!"

Bewildered by the strength of his grip, her temper faded until she could only look back in pure astonishment.

"Trust me," he said, releasing her. A rush of embarrassment entered him. Why did I have to say it that way? He turned away so that only his back could be seen, "I'll carry you, if I have to. I won't let you sink, Sakura."

She felt herself wavering, almost believing his words, wanting to believe, wanting to trust…

"Useless."

Sakura turned in the direction of the voice. She blinked and Sasuke was in front of her, a protective shield between her and an old man in a boat.

"It doesn't matter if you keep her from sinking, Uchiha Sasuke. Because once she reaches the other side, she'll disappear into the shadows anyway."

Sakura felt her spirits drop again. She couldn't see Sasuke's reaction but she imagined a scowl on his face. But his response was neutral, carefully restrained, "Tell me why."

The ancient boatman's expression showed no hatefulness, only a certainty that comes when one is stating an obvious truth, "Because she is empty. A soul, but not a soul. If she enters the water, she will sink because the darkness will fill her and drag her down. And if she reaches the other side, the shadows will consume her in the same way. You have given her back her name, but they will take it away. Her name and her face, they will take both and she will be less than she is now. An entity of darkness is what she will become, a shadow bitter and angry, if you take her to the other side."

Sasuke heard Sakura's gasp, felt her shudder, and so, did not say anything when her hand unconsciously grabbed his shirt.

"I will take you back unless you choose to stay. You are alive. Normally, the living are not allowed to cross but for you and another, the price has already been paid."

That sounded familiar. Sasuke repeated, "For me and anoth—" and stopped and then said, "Uzumaki Naruto."

There was a nod.

Sasuke felt a numbness settle over him. He did not have to ask who had paid the price. The answer was standing behind him, crying quietly.

"Go."

The whisper startled him and he looked to see green eyes beseeching him. She let go of his shirt and gave a gentle push forward.

"You have a chance. Go."

He opened his mouth, shut it, at a complete loss for words. Did she know? That she was the one that had given him the chance in the first place? Did she know? Something that felt like a cry of anguish threatened to spill from him. Always, in life, he had tried to make himself cold towards her, to feel nothing. Why was it then, that her death, which should have meant nothing, made him feel so much?

"Sakura… I…"

She watched him through blurry vision and tried to smile even when tears ran down her cheeks, "It's ok. Thank you for trying, but I should be here. It's better than being a shadow, after all."

He grimaced, a look bright with pain. Then, after a moment of struggle, he regained his control and said hoarsely, "No."

"W-what?"

He said, stronger, "I'm not leaving without you."

"But—"

"If I go across, you're coming with me. And you won't be turning into a shadow."

"I… you… you…" she sputtered, shocked and then furious again with that same obstinacy that reminded Sasuke of his other teammate, "Don't be stupid! Sasuke no baka! You're not dead! You don't need to be here! You can go back and be with the people you love and just… just… live!"

She wanted to say more but there was something unreadable on his face, something that appeared at her last statement that made her speechless. It was dark and powerful and frightening. She did not know that he was thinking about his brother.

"Sasuke-kun," she said, softening her tone to make it more persuasive, "Go back. Go home. Live. Please, Sasuke-kun… Try to understand. Anything is better than death."

But the look on his face at that made her regret that sentence as well for it seemed as if he disagreed. After a while, he said, "If you're not there, what I return to won't be a home… and what I live won't be a life."

Sakura flushed, heard her own heartbeat in her ears and it was loud like a drum.

Another heartbeat brought a firm repetition, "I'm not leaving without you."

Abruptly, he switched his attention back to the waiting boatman and said, with challenging eyes, "Did you hear that?" and proceeded to question the old man further. Why exactly had been paid? What could he do to pay for her fare, whatever that would be? What…

In the midst of his questions, he suddenly felt a slight pressure on his shoulder. He paused but didn't pull away. Her head was resting by his neck, her arms around his waist, and her tears falling gently onto his skin. Being held this way and by her was oddly familiar.

"Arigatou," she whispered this time.

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Why couldn't Naruto and I pass?

The other boy carries a demon within. The Kyubi is a monster of blood and hate. The connection is not purely physical. His soul, whether he wishes it or not, is bonded to sin.

And I?

The curse of the one named Orochimaru taints you. As does hateful vengeance. Yet, your sins were not as forced upon you as you think. All choices were made willingly. You have made yourself into a demon.

Then… the price? For two demons?

All her memories, all the love she ever felt, all the happiness of her life. Her knowledge, her identity. Keeping only feelings of sadness and pain. Only part of the payment has been paid so far, but the rest will come soon enough once her body dies completely.

…Do you understand now, Uchiha Sasuke? What was meant when I said before? Do you understand the sacrifice? For two demons, she traded an eternity of peace for an eternity of suffering. A sense of loss yet knowing what has been lost. Endless longing. For two demons, she gave everything that was possible to give. For two demons, she gave herself.

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I hope the last scene seems vaguely familiar. It should, if you remember the Forest of Death arc. I just wanted to contrast the two scenes. In the actual anime, Sakura begs him to stop his out of control violence. In this one, she thanks him for not giving up. sigh Sasuke's gone through character growth... My baby's growing up...

Anyways, I hope I haven't made Sakura too OC in this chapter. She's a bit more outspoken since she doesn't remember any of her feelings for Sasuke. Thus, she acts a bit more like her natural self, which does resemble Naruto in some ways.

One-shots coming along... slowly... ;;... just as hard as I thought, but I'm trying to get them finished....

The ending is coming soon but before that, more angst along the way. (What can I say? It's my lifeforce.) So, just when you think I can't torture poor Sasuke any more, please be reminded that bringing someone back to life can't be too easy. There are prices to pay, after all...

Next Chapter: Price for One